How the fishing industry was affected by the oil spill

The fishing industry was hit hard by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010, and has not fully recovered. Experts believe that a full recovery could take several more years, or possibly never happen. After the spill, 40 percent of the Gulf Coast was no longer available for fishing, commercial or recreational.

The Louisiana shrimp supply was largely damaged in the accident. The prices for the peeled shrimp have doubled due to the small supply that is available. Oyster beds were partially destroyed by the oil, and demand is much lower than what it once was for the product.

Seafood restaurants in the Gulf saw a huge decline in customers. These individuals stayed away from the restaurants in fear that the food was contaminated from the oil. The industry is slowly recovering, and will be for years to come.